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New audit cites problems collecting tolls on Leeville bridge

A truck passes under toll cameras on the Leeville Bridge earlier this year.

Courier and Daily Comet file

Mike PerlsteinWWL-TV Eyewitness News

Published: Monday, December 3, 2012 at 7:12 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, December 3, 2012 at 7:12 p.m.

NEW ORLEANS -- It's been three years since the state started collecting tolls on the La. 1 bridge in Leeville, and according to a legislative audit released today, that's about how long problems in collecting tolls have persisted.

"Those who are responsible for making the system work did not do their jobs, and we're getting left holding the bag. That money that is not collected, someone has to pay for it. It's going to be the taxpayers of the state,” said state Rep. Patrick Connick, R-Marrero.

Connick, a frequent critic of the bridge tolls, said he is not surprised that hundreds of thousands of dollars in tolls have been left on the table.

"Rules were bent, things were changed, things were overlooked,” Connick said. “And because of that, this is what we have. We have a system that doesn't work. And that's got to change."

According to the audit, $3.3 million in tolls were collected on the southern Lafourche Parish bridge in fiscal year 2012. But an untold amount has gone uncollected.

For about 300,000 drivers who didn't pay the $2.50 toll, the state hasn't lifted a finger to collect.

And even when the state did go after the freeloaders, it had no arrangements to collect from out-of-state drivers.

Then for drivers who purchased toll tags, those whose balance went to zero were never flagged for a violation.

Even if only 100,000 of the pictures represent violations, Purpera said, that could mean $2 million in additional toll revenue.

How much other revenue is being left uncollected is unclear.

In a written response, state Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Sherri LeBas agreed with the criticism on the roughly 300,000 unchecked violations.

"DOTD is exploring contracting out the review of these images," LeBas wrote.

Rhett Desselle, assistant DOTD secretary, said in an interview that state officials are seeking help to study images of possible violations.

This is not the first time that the state Department of Transportation has been criticized for failure to collect tolls. At the Crescent City Connection, toll problems have been traced back to the same contractors and engineers that are responsible for toll collection at the Leeville bridge.

Previous audits have criticized the state for issuing a no-bid contract to consultants overseeing the toll systems. Then there was a messy lawsuit between the state and the primary technology contractor.

The state acknowledged most of the problems, saying corrections have been made and more are on the way.

This story includes information from The Associated Press.

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